Judea and Samaria

Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim is tapped as the new head of the Defense Ministry body that regulates much of daily life – both Jewish and Arab – in Judea and Samaria.

Without an alternative, residents of Judea and Samaria are forced to drive through the dangerous Palestinian town, where four Israelis have been killed in the past six months.

Decision garners heavy criticism from settlement officials, who say fence will completely isolate the area from the rest of the country.

Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich harshly criticized for failing to prevent the demolition. Sources close to Smotrich say move could not be prevented as buildings were built either on private Arab land or on state land without permit.

In February, following the terrorist attack in Neve Ya'akov, the government announced that nine communities in Judea and Samaria would get official status. Although some progress has been made, on the ground things appear to be stuck fast. The IDF stresses that "once the staff work has been completed for each of the settlements, the orders will be signed."

Israel Hayom can reveal that a previously unknown discussion between the Accountant General Department’s officials and members of the Finance Ministry's legal counsel was aimed at undoing a decision by former Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked to transfer tens of millions of shekels to the coffers of Jewish municipalities in Judea and Samaria.

Security officials also concerned over rise in the number of Jewish terrorists who are not organically linked to the so-called “hilltop youth” or extremist groups. "There is a system in the area in which they come to create friction, agitate, and try to provoke the Palestinians. It creates tensions that shouldn't exist," a Shin Bet official says.

GOC Central Command Yehuda Fuchs not heeding requests to send enough troops to secure enforcement operations. Sources: He fears being accused of selective action in light of lax policy toward Jewish communities.